How to Reduce Swelling After Wisdom Teeth Removal
Even people with healthy teeth have to go through the drudgery of having their wisdom teeth extracted. For many teenagers and even adults, having the third molar removed is excruciating and painful. Few people are lucky enough to end up with a perfect row of teeth, without impacted molars or having to go to the dentist to have wisdom teeth removed (If you’re one of those people who fears the dentist, read 15 ways to make a dental appointment more tolerable). The painful procedure may also turn off a lot of people, not to mention the time it takes to recover from a wisdom tooth extraction. If you want to get rid of the pain and swelling from an extracted wisdom tooth fast, here are some tips to help you.
Cool the Swelling Down
Ice packs are a widely-accepted remedy for swelling and inflammation. Ice works by numbing the nerve endings and blood vessels. The cold temperature and the little bit of constriction allows less blood to flow to the hole created by the dental extraction, which in turn reduces the pain. Here are some ways that you can help reduce the swelling using the power of low temperatures:
Frozen vegetables. Peas, corn, and chopped carrots are better at holding low temperatures than ice cubes or crushed ice, and they also mold to the shape of your face.
Cooling pads. Cooling pads work in the same way as heating pads, although these tools use electricity to radiate low temperatures to the affected area. You can use cooling pads in the same way you use ice packs.
Cold water. If the inner parts of the affected gum are very swollen, you can try swishing some cold water in your mouth to reduce the inflammation and to numb the nerve endings a bit.
Medication
Cold-temperature treatments are temporary relief for the pain that comes with extracting a wisdom tooth. For best results, you need to take medication to relieve the pain. Here are some of the medications your dentist will prescribe after he or she extracts your wisdom tooth:
Analgesics. Painkillers help dull the pain when the anesthetic wears off. Oral analgesics take time to work, so you’ll be writhing for about 10 to 15 minutes before the pain starts to go away. You may need a good supply of painkillers handy to keep yourself from writing in pain until the gum heals.
Anti-inflammatories prevent the gum and jaw tissues from swelling. You should take the prescribed doses at the prescribed time to prevent serious swelling.
Antibiotics. Sometimes an extracted wisdom tooth will bring out pus and ooze, especially if it is impacted or infected. You need to take in antibiotics to ward off infection until such time that the tooth is healed.
It Will Pass
Depending on how impacted the tooth is, you wouldn’t feel any pain from the dental extraction until after the local anesthetic wears off. At most, the pain from a tooth extraction lasts for about three days, and then you’re good as new. Some dentists recommend that you should let the pain pass, since you may develop an unnecessary dependence on medication (Learn how to get rid of wisdom teeth pain). If the pain lasts for more than 3 days, or if the pain is too intense, consult a dentist again. At the worst, you may need to have a cyst or a tooth fragment removed through oral surgery.
Impacted wisdom teeth are a nightmare for teenagers and adults alike. It may not be a pleasant experience to have them removed, but they help improve your bite. With these tips to help you dull the pain, your teeth will be back in chewing and eating form in no time at all.